The American Cyclopædia (1879)/New Harmony

NEW HARMONY, a town of Posey co., Indiana, on the Wabash river, 50 m. from its mouth, and 150 m. S. W. of Indianapolis; pop. in 1870, 836. It was built by the Harmonists under George Rapp in 1815, and purchased from them in 1824 by Robert Owen for the purpose of testing his social system, an experiment which resulted unsuccessfully. Mr. Owen sold a large portion to William Maclure, who there established a school of industry, which after a trial of about six years was abandoned.